Will OSV Verification Add Value To Mint Sets ?

Clearly. Like I said, they are selling the service so there must be a demand for it.

 

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It's just to me once you take the coins out of the mint set, it isn't a mint set anymore. I mean if I were to take a 1963 mint set and carefully cut each of the coins out of the holder I have 2 halves, 2 quarters, 2 dimes, 2 nickels, and 2 cents, and some plastic packaging. But do I still have a mint set? I don't think so. At least not as far as I am concerned.

 

This is exactly how I feel too...but apparently many feel differently.

 

When looking at the one pictured in this thread I thought I saw the cardboard holders encased in the plastic slab along with the coins.

 

The contents of each board are in their own holder, and the boards and envelope are in its own holder. So you will now have three or four holders. If you look at the image of the holders you will see that the coins are not in the same arrangement as they are in the boards, and since the board have a paper covering on both sides, if the coins were still in the boards you would only see on side of the coins.

 

A couple years ago or more, Leo Frese was on Rick Tomaska discussing his OSV-Original Set Verification. It was incredibly interesting as he described how they verified coins from original mint sets based on color and paper type, etc. I personally would pay something more for an OSV mint set because the coins have been encapsulated and protected from damage, while being verified. Very cool.

 

I agree.

 

Well, that right there is all I need to know. Rick Tomaska is a shyster, and any product he's hyping probably has low value and high premiums.

 

Those have been around long enough where the OP question could be rephrased as "Has OSV Verification Added Value to Mint Sets?" I don't think it has, and a premium that can be had by hyping on a TV show doesn't count. EBay prices realizes are a better indicator.

I like the idea of having a mint set that can be verified as being original being put in a more viewer-friendly and coin-friendly holder, with the original holder being preserved separately, but I doubt the expense is worth it to the average collector.

 

I am not sure that appearing on the show is all one needs to know. I've seen Miles Standish, Lyndall Bass, Edmund Moy, and others appear on the show as well, and they seem like good people. I have not bought coins from Rick Tomaska, nor have I met him. I know one person who said he bought from Tomaska and got sliders instead of UNC coins as represented. I agree with you that Tomaska has higher than reasonable premiums on his coins.

Tomaska only gave Leo Frese an opportunity to describe the service and it was an outstanding interview. I do think OSV has a use or place with collectors who want to keep an original mint set together but not in the OGP.

 

This thread got me interested in double mint sets and last night I pulled the trigger on this one from GC. With so many sets that have been messed with it is nice to know that mine is original. Since I could have gotten nicer raw coins than these for less money, the originality is what makes the mint set worth the premium IMO. Eye appeal is not off the charts but definitely a piece of history.

As for whether the grading fees are worth it, however, they didn’t help on this one as I paid just over $200 with all fees included. Probably about the same as a raw set.

 

@KSorbo I saw that set but decided not to bid (didn't really need it). You got a solid price! I believe it slightly helped that it was in the wrong category (world coins).

 

Do you think the fingerprints held it down or is that less of an issue for coins that are already toned?

 

In terms of price or grade? I could see the price being a bit lower and the grade potentially being lowered (if it impacts the surfaces enough).

Fingerprints can hurt eye appeal and quite a few avoid them (regardless if it’s a toned or white coin). On the plus side, with this set, it helps add to the originality factor.

 

That's a fun set. But, yeah the fingerprints pretty much sealed the deal for a few of the grades.